How to Substitute Honey for Sugar

Honey is mother nature's sweetener! Switch to natural sweeteners the next time you're in the kitchen by swapping out refined sugar with high quality, pure, New Zealand honey. Better for you and still delicious!

But honey isn't a straight swap for sugar. It's sweeter, liquid and it browns faster in the oven. Get those right and your bakes will come out perfectly every time. Here's exactly how to do it.

Sugar vs Mānuka Honey - what's the difference?

It's sweeter. Honey tastes sweeter than granulated sugar, so you'd use less of it in a measuring jug. But Mānuka honey is heavier than sugar, so on the scales you'll weigh out slightly more.
It contains water. Honey is roughly a fifth water, so it adds extra moisture to your batter.
It's slightly acidic. That can affect how well your bake rises.
It caramelises faster. The natural sugars in honey brown more quickly in the oven.

The four simple rules

Add 15% more honey than sugar. Use around 115g of honey for every 100g of sugar. It looks like more, but honey is so much denser than sugar that it takes up less space in the bowl, and its natural sweetness does the rest.
Reduce the other liquids. Take out about 20ml of liquid (milk, water etc) for every 100g of honey you add.
Add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Use about ¼ teaspoon for every 340g of honey. It balances honey's natural acidity and helps your bake rise.
Turn the oven down by 15°C. Honey browns faster, so a slightly cooler oven stops the outside colouring before the middle is cooked. Keep an eye on it towards the end and cover with tinfoil part way to prevent burning.

Honey vs sugar conversion chart

First time baking with honey? Start by swapping half the sugar in a recipe you know well. Once you've seen how it behaves, go all in.

When not to swap

Honey works brilliantly in cakes, muffins, flapjacks, granola, breads, dressings and marinades. When it comes to recipes where sugar crystals do the structural work like meringues, macarons and crisp shortbread, stick with sugar or swap only a small amount.

It's not just for baking

Once you've swapped you won't go back. Manuka honey is incredibly versatile and can take sugar's place in many areas of your kitchen.

In your mug. Stir it into tea, coffee or a hot lemon and ginger. It dissolves best in warm drinks, so for iced tea or iced coffee, mix it with a splash of hot water first. Try our Cardamom Honey Coffee or Orange, Honey & Kawakawa Tea.
In cold drinks. Smoothies, iced lattes and bubble tea all take a drizzle of honey in place of syrup. Try our Iced Matcha Latte or Bubble Tea.
In savoury cooking. A spoonful rounds out sauces, soups, stews and casseroles, and it's a natural in marinades and glazes, where it caramelises beautifully. Try our Sticky Honey Soy Ribs or Honey Mustard Chicken.
In dressings. Honey balances sharp vinegar and citrus far better than sugar, because it blends straight in. Try our Orange, Honey & Mustard Dressing.
In no-bake treats. Energy balls, granola bars and flapjacks hold together better with honey than with granulated sugar.

Which honey is best for baking?

The grade you choose changes the flavour. Lower-grade multifloral Mānuka is lighter and sweeter, so it lets your other ingredients shine. Higher grades are richer and more earthy, with a deep, bittersweet toffee note.

For everyday baking and cooking, choose a multifloral Mānuka honey from our Everyday range. It has a smooth, caramel-like flavour that works in almost anything. Our squeeze bottle makes measuring straight into the bowl easy, with no sticky spoons.

Save higher-grade Mānuka from our Intense and Ultra ranges for enjoying straight from the spoon. Its rich, bittersweet flavour deserves to be the star.

Ready to bake? Try these

Frequently asked questions

Can I use honey instead of golden syrup? Yes. Both are liquid sweeteners, so you can usually swap them like for like by weight. Honey will add a little more flavour and colour.

Can I use honey instead of brown sugar? Yes. Follow the same rules as above. Honey's caramel notes work especially well in recipes that call for brown sugar.

Why has my bake come out too brown? Honey caramelises faster than sugar. Lower the oven by 15°C, and if the top colours early, loosely cover it with foil for the last part of baking.

Can I use Mānuka honey in baking? Absolutely. Multifloral Mānuka from our Everyday range is ideal. Save your high-grade jars for the spoon.

Is honey suitable for babies? Honey, including in baked goods, shouldn't be given to babies under 12 months old.

From our hives in Taranaki to your kitchen, happy baking! Shop our honey for cooking and baking.

Sugar vs Honey - A Simple Honey Baking Conversion Guide